Engineering high amylose and resistant starch in maize by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated editing of starch branching enzymes

To improve the amylose content(AC)and resistant starch content(RSC)of maize kernel starch,we employed the CRISPR/Cas9 system to create mutants of starch branching enzyme I(SBEI)and starch branching enzyme IIb(SBEIIb).A frameshift mutation in SBEI(E1,a nucleotide insertion in exon 6)led to plants with higher RSC(1.07%),lower hundred-kernel weight(HKW,24.71±0.14 g),and lower plant height(PH,218.50±9.42 cm)compared to the wild type(WT).Like the WT,E1 kernel starch had irregular,polygonal shapes with sharp edges.A frameshift mutation in SBEIIb(E2,a four-nucleotide deletion in exon 8)led to higher AC(53.48%)and higher RSC(26.93%)than that for the WT.E2 kernel starch was significantly different from the WT regarding granule morphology,chain length distribution pattern,X-ray diffraction pattern,and thermal characteristics;the starch granules were more irregular in shape and comprised typical B-type crystals.Mutating SBEI and SBEIIb(E12)had a synergistic effect on RSC,HKW,PH,starch properties,and starch biosynthesis-associated gene expression.SBEIIa,SS1,SSIIa,SSIIIa,and SSIIIb were upregulated in E12 endosperm compared to WT endosperm.This study lays the foundation for rapidly improving the starch properties of elite maize lines.

Genome-edited rabbits:Unleashing the potential of a promising experimental animal model across diverse diseases

Animal models are extensively used in all aspects of biomedical research,with substantial contributions to our understanding of diseases,the development of pharmaceuticals,and the exploration of gene functions.The field of genome modification in rabbits has progressed slowly.However,recent advancements,particularly in CRISPR/Cas9-related technologies,have catalyzed the successful development of various genome-edited rabbit models to mimic diverse diseases,including cardiovascular disorders,immunodeficiencies,agingrelated ailments,neurological diseases,and ophthalmic pathologies.These models hold great promise in advancing biomedical research due to their closer physiological and biochemical resemblance to humans compared to mice.This review aims to summarize the novel gene-editing approaches currently available for rabbits and present the applications and prospects of such models in biomedicine,underscoring their impact and future potential in translational medicine.

SNG-TE: Sports News Generation with Text-Editing Model

Currently,the amount of sports news is increasing,given the number of sports available.As a result,manually writing sports news requires high labor costs to achieve the intended efficiency.Therefore,it is necessary to develop the automatic generation of sports news.Most available news gen-eration methods mainly rely on real-time commentary sentences,which have the following limitations:(1)unable to select suitable commentary sentences for news generation,and(2)the generated sports news could not accurately describe game events.Therefore,this study proposes a sports news generation with text-editing model(SNG-TE)is proposed to generate sports news,which includes selector and rewriter modules.Within the study context,a weight adjustment mechanism in the selector module is designed to improve the hit rate of important sentences.Furthermore,the text-editing model is introduced in the rewriter module to ensure that the generated news sentences can cor-rectly describe the game events.The annotation and generation experiments are designed to evaluate the developed model.The study results have shown that in the annotation experiment,the accuracy of the sentence annotated by the selector increased by about 8%compared with other methods.Moreover,in the generation experiment,the sports news generated by the rewriter achieved a 49.66 ROUGE-1 score and 21.47 ROUGE-2,both of which are better than the available models.Additionally,the proposed model saved about 15 times the consumption of time.Hence,the proposed model provides better performance in both accuracy and efficiency,which is very suitable for the automatic generation of sports news.

Development and Therapeutic Applications of Precise Gene Editing Technology

The advent of gene editing represents one of the most transformative breakthroughs in life science,making genome manipulation more accessible than ever before.While traditional CRISPR/Cas-based gene editing,which involves double-strand DNA breaks(DSBs),excels at gene disruption,it is less effective for accurate gene modification.The limitation arises because DSBs are primarily repaired via non-homologous end joining(NHEJ),which tends to introduce indels at the break site.While homology directed repair(HDR)can achieve precise editing when a donor DNA template is provided,the reliance on DSBs often results in unintended genome damage.HDR is restricted to specific cell cycle phases,limiting its application.Currently,gene editing has evolved to unprecedented levels of precision without relying on DSB and HDR.The development of innovative systems,such as base editing,prime editing,and CRISPR-associated transposases(CASTs),now allow for precise editing ranging from single nucleotides to large DNA fragments.Base editors(BEs)enable the direct conversion of one nucleotide to another,and prime editors(PEs)further expand gene editing capabilities by allowing for the insertion,deletion,or alteration of small DNA fragments.The CAST system,a recent innovation,allows for the precise insertion of large DNA fragments at specific genomic locations.In recent years,the optimization of these precise gene editing tools has led to significant improvements in editing efficiency,specificity,and versatility,with advancements such as the creation of base editors for nucleotide transversions,enhanced prime editing systems for more efficient and precise modifications,and refined CAST systems for targeted large DNA insertions,expanding the range of applications for these tools.Concurrently,these advances are complemented by significant improvements in in vivo delivery methods,which have paved the way for therapeutic application of precise gene editing tools.Effective delivery systems are critical for the success of gene therapies,and recent developments in both viral and non-viral vectors have improved the efficiency and safety of gene editing.For instance,adeno-associated viruses(AAVs)are widely used due to their high transfection efficiency and low immunogenicity,though challenges such as limited cargo capacity and potential for immune responses remain.Non-viral delivery systems,including lipid nanoparticles(LNPs),offer an alternative with lower immunogenicity and higher payload capacity,although their transfection efficiency can be lower.The therapeutic potential of these precise gene editing technologies is vast,particularly in treating genetic disorders.Preclinical studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of base editing in correcting genetic mutations responsible for diseases such as cardiomyopathy,liver disease,and hereditary hearing loss.These technologies promise to treat symptoms and potentially cure the underlying genetic causes of these conditions.Meanwhile,challenges remain,such as optimizing the safety and specificity of gene editing tools,improving delivery systems,and overcoming off-target effects,all of which are critical for their successful application in clinical settings.In summary,the continuous evolution of precise gene editing technologies,combined with advancements in delivery systems,is driving the field toward new therapeutic applications that can potentially transform the treatment of genetic disorders by targeting their root causes.

Acta Geologica Sinica(English Edition)Calls for Submission of Review Papers

Acta Geologica Sinica(English Edition)is a bimonthly,SCI-indexed academic journal produced by the Geological Society of China.With the latest 2022 Impact Factor of 3.3,it has long been indexed by many international databases and websites,such as SCI,CA,BIG,etc.Internationally,the journal cooperates with John Wiley&Sons,Inc.to publish the electronic version;all papers can be downloaded online.

Acta Geologica Sinica(English Edition)Calls for Submission of Review Papers

Acta Geologica Sinica(English Edition)is a bimonthly,SCI-indexed academic journal produced by the Geological Society of China.With the latest 2022 Impact Factor of 3.3,it has long been indexed by many international databases and websites,such as SCI,CA,BIG,etc.Internationally,the journal cooperates with John Wiley&Sons,Inc.to publish the electronic version;all papers can be downloaded online.Contributors wishing to submit,read,enquire and download can log in via http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/ags.

Germline Gene-Editing Creates Enhanced Livestock-Technical and Especially Ethical Issues Challenge Its Use in Humans

Using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPR)-based molecular tools,scientists are engineering-as they are also doing with plants.-animals with advantageous traits,like disease resistance and improved food yield.While these innovative techniques could one day be applied in humans,technical hurdles and ethical concerns likely place this possibility far in the future,The enhancements rely on germline gene editing,which alters the genes in a way that passes the changes on to offspring.Ger m-line gene editing differs from the somatic cell gene editing used in the highly promising new treatment recently approved for the human disease sickle cell anemia.

Brief Introduction to“Journal of Jilin University(Science Edition)”

“Journal of Jilin University(Science Edition)”is a comprehensive academic journal in the fields of science sponsored by Jilin University and administrated by the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China.The journal started publication in 1955.The original name at starting publication was“Journal of Natural Science of Northeast People University”,which was changed into“Acta Scientiarum Naturalium Universitatis Jilinensis”in 1958 owing to the name change of the university.

Brief Introduction to “Journal of Jilin University(Science Edition)”

“Journal of Jilin University(Science Edition)” is a comprehensive academic journal in the fields of science sponsored by Jilin University and administrated by the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China.The journal started publication in 1955.The original name at starting publication was “Journal of Natural Science of Northeast People University”,which was changed into “Acta Scientiarum Naturalium Universitatis Jilinensis” in 1958 owing to the name change of the university.

Brief Introduction to“Journal of Jilin University(Science Edition)”

“Journal of Jilin University(Science Edition)”is a comprehensive academic journal in the fields of science sponsored by Jilin University and administrated by the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China.The journal started publication in 1955.The original name at starting publication was“Journal of Natural Science of Northeast People University”.

FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Innovative technologies significantly propel the development of casting industry

At this memorable moment,we are excited to celebrate the 20th anniversary of CHINA FOUNDRY journal.Since its inception in August 2004,this academic platform dedicated to disseminating Chinese casting technology has traversed two full decades.Over this period,we have received strong support from numerous domestic and international industry experts and scholars.

Brief Introduction to “Journal of Jilin University (Science Edition)”

“Journal of Jilin University(Science Edition)” is a comprehensive academic journal in the fields of science sponsored by Jilin University and administrated by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China.The journal started publication in 1955.The original name at starting publication was “Journal of Natural Science of Northeast People University”.

Brief Introduction to “Journal of Jilin University(Science Edition)”

“Journal of Jilin University(Science Edition)” is a comprehensive academic journal in the fields of science sponsored by Jilin University and administrated by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China.The journal started publication in 1955.The original name at starting publication was “Journal of Natural Science of Northeast People University”,which was changed into “Acta Scientiarum Naturalium Universitatis Jilinensis” in 1958 owing to the name change of the university.

Development of an Agrobacterium-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system in jute(Corchorus capsularis)

Jute(Corchorus capsularis L.)is the second most important natural plant fiber source after cotton.However,developing an efficient gene editing system for jute remains a challenge.In this study,the transgenic hairy root system mediated by Agrobacterium rhizogenes strain K599 was developed for Meifeng 4,an elite jute variety widely cultivated in China.The transgenic hairy root system for jute was verified by subcellular localization and bimolecular fluorescence complementation(BiFC)assays.The CHLOROPLASTOS ALTERADOS 1(CcCLA1)gene,which is involved in the development of chloroplasts,was targeted for editing at two sites in Meifeng 4.Based on this hairy root transformation,the gRNA scaffold was placed under the control of cotton ubiquitin GhU6.7 and-GhU6.9 promoters,respectively,to assess the efficiency of gene editing.Results indicated the 50.0%(GhU6.7)and 38.5%(GhU6.9)editing events in the target 2 alleles(gRNA2),but no mutation was detected in the target 1 allele(gRNA1)in transgenic-positive hairy roots.CcCLA1 gene editing at gRNA2 under the control of GhU6.7 in Meifeng 4 was also carried out by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation.Two CcCLA1 mutants were albinic,with a gene editing efficiency of 5.3%.These findings confirm that the CRISPR/Cas9 system,incorporating promoter GhU6.7,can be used as a gene editing tool for jute.

CRISPR-Cas13-mediated RNA editing in the silkworm Bombyx mori

The CRISPR-Cas13 system,an RNA-guided editing tool,has emerged as a highly efficient and stable RNA editing technique.Although the CRISPR-Cas13 system has been developed in several insect species,its application in lepidopterans has not yet been reported.In the present study,we evaluated the RNA cleavage activity of the CRISPR-Cas13 system in the silkworm(Bombyx mori),a model lepidopteran insect,both ex vivo and in vivo.We established two stable silkworm BmE cell lines expressing PspCas13b and CasRx,respectively.Further analysis demonstrated that both PspCas13b and CasRx effectively down-regulated the transcription of exogenouslyintroduced target and endogenous genes in these cell lines.In addition,we generated two transgenic silkworm strains,one expressing CasRx and the other expressing RNA-guided CRISPR RNA targeting Sex combs reduced(Scr).Further crossing experiments showed that CasRx induced a down-regulation of Scr transcription in silkworms,which impaired systemic growth of larvae.Overall,this study demonstrated that the CRISPR-Cas13RNA editing system works efficiently in the silkworm,providing a potential alternative approach for RNA manipulation in lepidopteran insects.

Journal of Northeast Agricultural University(English Edition) Instruction to Authors

Aims and Scope Journal of Northeast Agricultural University(English Edition)is a comprehensive academic journal on agricultural sciences sponsored by Northeast Agricultural University and distributed worldwide.It is a peer reviewed journal published quarterly and mainly publishes review and research articles that reflect the latest achievements on crop science,horticulture,plant protection,resource and environment,animal science,veterinary medicine,agricultural engineering and technology,agricultural water conservancy,life science,biotechnology and food science.

A simple and efficient CRISPR/Cas9 system permits ultra-multiplex genome editing in plants

The development and maturation of the CRISPR/Cas genome editing system provides a valuable tool for plant functional genomics and genetic improvement.Currently available genome-editing tools have a limited number of targets,restricting their application in genetic research.In this study,we developed a novel CRISPR/Cas9 plant ultra-multiplex genome editing system consisting of two template vectors,eight donor vectors,four destination vectors,and one primer-design software package.By combining the advantages of Golden Gate cloning to assemble multiple repetitive fragments and Gateway recombination to assemble large fragments and by changing the structure of the amplicons used to assemble sg RNA expression cassettes,the plant ultra-multiplex genome editing system can assemble a single binary vector targeting more than 40 genomic loci.A rice knockout vector containing 49 sg RNA expression cassettes was assembled and a high co-editing efficiency was observed.This plant ultra-multiplex genome editing system advances synthetic biology and plant genetic engineering.

Journal of Northeast Agricultural University(English Edition) Instruction to Authors

Aims and Scope Journal of Northeast Agricultural University(English Edition) is a comprehensive academic journal on agricultural sciences sponsored by Northeast Agricultural University and distributed worldwide. It is a peer reviewed journal published quarterly and mainly publishes review and research articles that reflect the latest achievements on crop science, horticulture, plant protection, resource and environment, animal science, veterinary medicine, agricultural engineering and technology, agricultural water conservancy, life science, biotechnology and food science.

Journal of Northeast Agricultural University(English Edition) Instruction to Authors

Aims and Scope Journal of Northeast Agricultural Univer-sity(English Edition)is a comprehensive academic journal on agricultural sciences sponsored by Northeast Agricultural University and distributed worldwide.It is a peer reviewed journal published quarterly and mainly publishes review and research articles that reflect the latest achievements on crop science,horticulture,plant protection,resource and environment,animal science,veterinary medicine,agricultural engineering and technology,agricultural water conservancy,life science,biotechnology and food science.

Metabolic engineering and genome editing strategies for enhanced lipid production in microalgae

Depleting global petroleum reserves and skyrocketing prices coupled with succinct supply have been a grave concern,which needs alternative sources to conventional fuels.Oleaginous microalgae have been explored for enhanced lipid production,leading towards biodiesel production.These microalgae have short life cycles,require less labor,and space,and are easy to scale up.Triacylglycerol,the primary source of lipids needed to produce biodiesel,is accumulated by most microalgae.The article focuses on different types of oleaginous microalgae,which can be used as a feedstock to produce biodiesel.Lipid biosynthesis in microalgae occurs through fatty acid synthesis and TAG synthesis approaches.In-depth discussions are held regarding other efficient methods for enhancing fatty acid and TAG synthesis,regulating TAG biosynthesis bypass methods,blocking competing pathways,multigene approach,and genome editing.The most potential targets for gene transformation are hypothesized to be a malic enzyme and diacylglycerol acyltransferase while lowering phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase activity is reported to be advantageous for lipid synthesis.